Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, presides over a press conference on Friday, May 17, 2024, on the Vatican’s new document on Marian apparitions. / Credit: Rudolf Gehrig/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 16, 2024 / 13:15 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Víctor Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will lead a press conference on the “spiritual experience” of Medjugorje this Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Vatican.

The Vatican Press Office informed that at Thursday’s press conference on Medjugorje, which will take place at 11:30 a.m. local time, Fernández will be joined by Monsignor Armando Matteo, who serves as secretary to the dicastery’s Doctrinal Section, along with Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication.

The press conference is scheduled to be broadcast live on Vatican News’ YouTube page.

Although no additional details about the event have been released, the press conference is being held within the framework of the new “Norms for Proceeding in the Discernment of Alleged Supernatural Phenomena,” published in May by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Since then, the Holy See has issued rulings on various alleged Marian apparitions and devotions.

What’s happening in Medjugorje?

The alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje (Bosnia-Herzegovina) began on June 24, 1981. Six children were said to have been the recipients of the Virgin’s messages, of which three say they continue receiving messages daily.

In January 2014, the then-Congregation — now Dicastery — for the Doctrine of the Faith concluded a report requested by Pope Francis who, in November 2013, stated that the Virgin “is not a chief of the post office who would send messages every day,” without specifically mentioning Medjugorje.

Summarizing the content of the report, in 2017 Pope Francis indicated that the initial apparitions are something that “must continue to be investigated” while with regard to “presumed current apparitions, the report has its doubts.”

On that same occasion, the Holy Father pointed out “people go there and convert. People encounter God, change their lives.” This isn’t a result of “magic,” he said, but is a valid spiritual and pastoral fact that “can’t be ignored.”  

Earlier that same year, the pontiff had appointed Bishop Henryk Hoser as “special envoy” to Medjugorje. When he died in 2021, he was replaced by Monsignor Aldo Cavalli.

Since May 2019, Pope Francis has officially authorized the organization of pilgrimages to Medjugorje while cautioning that such pilgrimages should avoid “creating confusion or ambiguity under the doctrinal aspect.”

In recent years, including 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, Pope Francis has also sent messages to youth festivals held at Medjugorje.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

A worshipper waves the flag of China as Pope Francis leaves following the weekly general audience on June 12, 2019, at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. / Credit: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images

CNA Newsroom, Sep 16, 2024 / 12:40 pm (CNA).

As the controversial Vatican-China agreement on bishop appointments nears its renewal deadline in October, Pope Francis’ recent 12-day apostolic journey through Southeast Asia and Oceania has thrust the Holy See’s complex relationship with Beijing into the spotlight.

Regional news outlets, including Singapore’s state-affiliated Channel News Asia, have been analyzing the potential implications of improving relations between the Holy See and Beijing. 

The pope’s marathon trip, which included stops in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore, provided ample opportunity for such speculation.

Channel News reported that analysts say “China has shown a favorable stance toward improving relations with the Vatican as this aligns with its broader strategic goals of enhancing its international reputation and countering negative portrayals from the West.”

The Singaporean broadcaster, operated by a state-owned conglomerate in a nation with a large ethnically Chinese population, suggested that “warming ties” could affect the Vatican’s long-standing diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. It noted that establishing formal relations with China would necessitate severing ties with Taipei in accordance with Beijing’s “One China” policy.

George Yeo, former Singapore foreign minister and ex-member of the Vatican Council for the Economy, told Channel News Asia that even if diplomatic recognition shifts to Beijing, “the Church will still have representation in Taiwan.” 

Yeo emphasized that from the Vatican’s perspective, such a move would not signal a shift from its “One China” policy but rather a return to its historical presence in mainland China.

A ‘dress rehearsal’ for a potential visit to Beijing?

Other regional media outlets have also weighed in on the implications of the papal visit for Vatican-China relations. 

Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post observed: “The Holy See under Francis has gone out of its way to extend overtures to China.”

A Bloomberg commentator, published in the Japan Times, even described the apostolic journey as a “dress rehearsal for a potential visit to Beijing.”

La Croix International, a Catholic news website, reported that China’s ruling elite had closely watched the trip. Theologian Michel Chambon told La Croix: “Beijing has closely observed Pope Francis’ trip in Asia, seeking to assess to what extent Pope Francis could contribute to the balance of power, the common good, and the development of the region.”

For his part, Pope Francis reiterated a long-standing desire to visit China during his press conference on Friday’s flight back to Rome.

Expressing respect and admiration for the country and its ancient culture, the pope told journalists on Sept. 13: “China, for me, is a dream, that is to say that I would like to visit China.” 

Voting booths on Election Day. / Credit: vesperstock/Shutterstock

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Sep 16, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The aggressive advocacy of abortion by Democratic Party candidates up and down the ballot this year, coupled with abortion ballot measures in 10 states, is causing pro-life groups across the political spectrum to adjust their tactics as well as expand collaborative efforts. 

At the state level throughout the country, “there are things that we are excited about and others that are very troubling,” said Americans United for Life (AUL) Chief Executive Officer John Mize in an interview with CNA.

“What we find most troubling are the ballot initiatives that are very deceptive by pro-abortion forces that have caused utter confusion in a vast swath of the American public,” Mize indicated.

In view of the current electoral panorama, Mize said his nonpartisan organization is stepping up its partnerships with other groups as part of their common objective to defend preborn lives and defeat pro-abortion measures. For example, he said, AUL has expanded its collaborative efforts with organizations such as CareNet, Heartbeat, Lifeline, and the Vitae Foundation.

Given the magnitude of the challenge the pro-life movement faces this year, National Right to Life (NRL) spokesperson Laura Echevarría said her group also welcomes increased collaborative efforts.

“We tend to be very accepting of other groups that want to work with us on issues. And we look at that commonality and we don’t get into other issues,” Echevarría observed. 

On the left, Democrats for Life and Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) are two groups that align with most aspects of the Democratic Party’s policy agenda yet are vociferously challenging its pro-abortion stance. 

PAUU executive director Caroline Taylor Smith, a Catholic who also volunteers for Democrats for Life, told CNA her pro-life principles are compatible with progressivism. She criticized both the Democratic and Republican parties for their respective stances on abortion. 

“I am very left-leaning and progressive and agree with every progressive value except for abortion. I condemn the idea that progressives have to support child-killing. My worldview is that I’m against violence and oppression against all people. I support liberation for all people. Embryos are preborn people that should be free from violence,” she said. 

Smith said that an example of PAAU’s pro-life commitment was set by PAAU activist Lauren Handy, 30, who was convicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act for occupying the Surgi-Clinic abortuary in Washington, D.C. Handy, who identifies as a “queer Catholic,” is now serving a four-year sentence. 

Allied organizations identified by PAUU’s Smith also include Pro-Life San Francisco and Rehumanize International. 

Despite their common goals, Mize acknowledged, the groups take different approaches. For example, Mize said he is skeptical about “overly aggressive tactics” such as displaying photos of aborted babies or screaming over bullhorns at women. Such tactics, he said, “add to the trauma that a woman feels when she is making a very difficult and complex decision. There’s a better way. And that is to be incremental and focused on providing alternative options to women.”

In addition, while Mize said ALU is not opposed to PAAU’s work, he said ALU is “more apt to partner with an organization like Democrats for Life, who share a lot of the same values we do in terms of the appropriate process to advance the pro-life cause.” There are also organizations like Secular Pro-Life, Mize added.

“Unfortunately, this has become far too political and it’s really not,” Mize maintains. “It’s a moral issue that isn’t defined by the politics of the party. It’s defined by the morality and character of the person.”

Echevarría and Mize agreed that the challenges for all pro-life organizations are only multiplying. Intense political battles, both said, lie in state legislatures and ballot initiatives that threaten to overturn hard-fought limitations on abortion, such as requirements for parental notification and consent.

null / Credit: Melnikov Dmitriy/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Sep 16, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A new study has found that daily pornography consumption among young adults leads to statistically significant negative mental health outcomes, including higher rates of reported depression.

The Institute for Family Studies/YouGov survey of 2,000 adults under the age of 40 determined that “pornography has become a daily part of life for many young adults.” About 10% of young adults aged 18–39 report watching pornography online “at least once a day.”

Men “are about twice as likely as women to report being daily users of online pornography,” the study found, while “liberal young adults” were roughly twice as likely as conservatives to report watching online pornography at least once daily.

Daily porn usage was similar for married and unmarried respondents and was roughly consistent across income and education levels, the survey found.

And “frequent use of online pornography is linked to an increased occurrence of negative mental health outcomes among young adults,” the study found, with roughly one-third of daily pornography users reporting feeling “down, depressed, or hopeless” most or all of the time, compared with just 19% of those who rarely or never watch porn.

An even higher number of daily porn users — 36% — report feeling lonely “all or most of the time,” compared with 20% of those who consume porn rarely or never. 

These findings remain even after controlling for factors like sex, marital status, and income. Overall, daily porn consumption “doubles the risk of being depressed and increases the risk of feeling lonely by a similar amount,” the research said. 

The new findings echo earlier studies that showed a similar link between heavy porn usage and negative mental health outcomes.

The researchers noted that daily porn use also “may displace activities that contribute to healthy social relationships, leaving users feeling more lonely and depressed.”

‘You’re thirsty, but you’re drinking salt water’

Father Sean Kilcawley is the director of the Freedom From Pornography apostolate in the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. He said he has observed in his ministry that frequent pornography, as well as frequent masturbation, “does lead to a kind of depression.”

“Some of the neuroscience research out there would validate that,” he said. “When we talk about living a life of chastity in the Church and purity in the Church, it really comes down to our mental health and our physical health.”

Regarding individuals who suffer from mental health ailments due to pornography consumption, Kilcawley said that such people “aren’t always aware that one is causing the other.”

“For instance, people often say the reason they look at porn is because of loneliness. But then at the same time their reason for loneliness is that they’re looking at pornography,” he said. 

“When I’m talking to young people I might use the analogy that it’s like you’re thirsty and you’re drinking salt water,” he said.

Kilcawley said that, as with many addictions, the first step for many people struggling with porn usage is to simply acknowledge they have a problem. 

“I might start with just asking them, do you believe you have a problem? Do you want help? Is it bad enough that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get help?” he said.  

“Breaking free, from a Christian perspective, is when we have a conversion,” he continued. “And we come to realize that Our Lord can meet all of our needs, and that whatever porn and masturbation is doing for us, Our Lord is the one who is capable of giving us that sense of affirmation and longing, that feeling of being hurt and [yet] being understood.”

“Whatever it is, Our Lord can give it to us,” he said. “And that path to conversion needs accompaniment. We need others to walk with us.”

Those who have finally acknowledged the depth of their problem, Kilcawley said, can pursue help including 12-step addiction programs and individual counselors. Group therapy, he noted, can offer an antidote to loneliness as well as help with addiction and dependency.

The priest stressed the importance of “raising the bottom,” a concept promoted by Alcoholics Anonymous as a means to help more people beat their addictions before they reach a ruinous place.

“When AA started, it was full of people who were in-the-gutter drunks,” he pointed out. “They’d lost jobs, families, horrible things that happened to them, and then they went to the meetings. In the earlier years it was just those kinds of people.” 

“And then over time people started talking about how you can get off the train earlier, you don’t have to ride all the way down,” he said. “People started getting help sooner.”

“I think we can do the same thing with those who are addicted to pornography,” he argued. “Before it affects their marriage and their family, and before it escalates to something worse.”

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw holds a photograph of the rifle and other items found near where a suspect was discovered during a press conference regarding an apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on Sept. 15, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. / Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

CNA Staff, Sep 15, 2024 / 19:48 pm (CNA).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said on Sunday that it was investigating an apparent attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life, the second such incident in roughly eight weeks.

“The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach, Florida, and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump,” the bureau said in a brief news release on Sunday.

Trump was reportedly playing golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach when shots were fired on the course. A Secret Service agent had reportedly spotted a gun barrel sticking out of a nearby fence and had engaged with a suspect.

It was unclear on Sunday evening if the suspect had fired any shots. The suspect reportedly attempted to flee the scene but was subsequently apprehended by police on Interstate 95.

Photos on Sunday showed law enforcement cordoning off an area near the golf course after the alleged attempted assassination.

The former president said in an email to his fundraising list shortly after the incident that he was “safe and well.”

“My resolve is only stronger after another attempt on my life,” he said in a second email on Sunday evening.

Law enforcement reportedly found a rifle with a scope attachment at the scene of the incident on Sunday.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is currently running against Trump in the 2024 presidential contest, said on Twitter on Sunday that she had been “briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe.”

“Violence has no place in America,” Harris added.

After his Angelus on Sept. 15, 2024, Pope Francis appealed for the release of the remaining Hamas hostages and said he is praying for the victims and their families. / Credit: Vatican Media.

Rome Newsroom, Sep 15, 2024 / 09:36 am (CNA).

During his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis appealed for the release of the remaining Hamas hostages as he remembered 23-year-old American Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five others whose bodies were recovered by Israeli military in Gaza last month.

“I am praying for the victims and continue to be close to all of the families of the hostages,” the pope said on Sept. 15 after praying the traditional Marian prayer.

The bodies of Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat were found in a tunnel in Gaza by Israel Defense Forces on Aug. 30. The IDF said postmortems indicate the hostages were killed by two gunmen using two separate weapons on the evening of Aug. 29.

Speaking from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis recalled meeting Rachel Goldberg, the mother of Goldberg-Polin, together with other family members of Israeli hostages, at the Vatican in November 2023. “I was struck by her humanity. I accompany her in this moment,” the pontiff said.

“Cease the conflict in Palestine and Israel, cease the violence, cease the hatred, release the hostages, continue negotiations, and find peace solutions,” he added.

Before the Angelus, Pope Francis gave a short reflection on the day’s Gospel reading from St. Mark. In the passage, Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?”

“Peter answers on behalf of all the group, saying, ‘You are the Christ,’” the pope said. “However, when Jesus starts to talk about the suffering and death that await him, the same Peter objects, and Jesus harshly rebukes him: ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.’”

Francis said this scene prompts us too, to ask ourselves what it means to really know Jesus.

“The words with which Peter responds are ‘right,’ but his way of thinking has not changed,” the pontiff commented. “He still has to change his mindset; he still has to convert. This is an important message for us too.”

“Indeed, we too have learned something about God, we know the doctrine, we recite the prayers correctly and, perhaps, we respond well to the question ‘Who is Jesus for you?’ with some formula we learned at catechism. But are we sure that this means really knowing Jesus?” he said.

The pope underlined that really knowing the Lord means not just knowing something about him but actually following him and having a relationship with him.

Knowing Jesus is a life-changing encounter, he continued. “It changes your way of being, it changes your way of thinking, the relationships you have with your brothers and sisters, your willingness to accept and forgive, the choices you make in life. Everything changes if you have truly come to know Jesus!”

Pope Francis referenced a quotation from the Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was killed for being a Nazi dissident. “What is bothering me incessantly is the question of what Christianity really is, or indeed who Christ really is, for us today,” Bonhoeffer wrote, as published in the book “Letters and Papers from Prison.”

“Unfortunately, many people no longer pose themselves this question and remain ‘unbothered,’ slumbering, even far from God,” the pontiff noted.

“Instead, it is important to ask ourselves: Do I let myself be bothered, do I ask who Jesus is for me and what place he occupies in my life? Do I follow Jesus only in word, continuing to have a worldly mentality, or do I set out to follow him, allowing the encounter with him to transform my life?”

A large crowd gathered for the ceremony welcoming Patriarch Gregory Peter XV Agagianian's remains to Beirut's Martyrs' Square on Thursday, Sept 12, 2024. / Credit: Romy Haber/ACI Mena

ACI MENA, Sep 15, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

On Thursday, Sept. 12, the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate held a grand ceremony in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square to welcome the remains of cardinal and patriarch Gregory Peter XV Agagianian from Rome. His body will be laid to rest in the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of St. Elias and St. Gregory the Illuminator in downtown Beirut.

Agagianian, known for his strong opposition to communist rule during the Cold War era, became a prominent figure in Catholic Church history. He was a leading candidate for the papacy on two occasions. The process of his beatification, a step toward sainthood in the Catholic Church, began in Rome on Oct. 28, 2022.

The late Armenian Catholic patriarch’s remains arrived in Lebanon in a glass casket carried by 12 young Lebanese men from various religious denominations, symbolizing interfaith unity. 

As the Armenian scouts’ band played, attendees reached out to touch the casket for blessings. Some threw rice and rose petals on the casket — a Middle Eastern tradition symbolizing a joyful welcome. 

The ceremony, attended by various political and religious figures, began with a documentary about the late patriarch’s life.

In a heartfelt speech, the current Armenian Catholic Patriarch, Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, said: “We brought him to Lebanon to show the world our unity, solidarity, and mutual love among denominations and all parties. Young men from various denominations carried the casket, representing a true reflection of what a Lebanese family looks like.”

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, leader of Lebanon’s largest Christian community, confirmed that Aghajanian’s tomb would be in the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of St. Elias and St. Gregory the Illuminator in Dabbas Square, Beirut.

“He is among the incorruptibles of the Church,” he added. “We hope that this miracle will facilitate the plea for his beatification. In any case, he will be a blessed and great saint. We congratulate the Armenian Catholic Church, all churches, and all of Lebanon. God’s wonders are great in his saints.”

Bishop Krikor Badishah, auxiliary bishop of the patriarchal Diocese of Beirut, stated: “Thanks to the magnificent presence of numerous participants, Martyrs’ Square is once again not a mere location but a national symbol that unites all Lebanese, regardless of their affiliations. It is a beacon of hope shining over our beloved homeland, constantly reminding us of our shared values and our unbreakable unity.”

During the ceremony, singer Layal Nehmé Matar performed, accompanied by the Lebanese army’s band, adding an atmosphere of reverence and solemnity.

The beatification process

The initiative to beatify Agagianian began with former Armenian Catholic Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Ghabroyan. It gained momentum when the current patriarch, Minassian, requested the opening of Agagianian’s tomb about two years ago, revealing his apparently incorrupt body.

While there is no official protocol in the Church for determining whether a body is incorrupt and incorruptibility is not considered an indication of sainthood, many saints are considered to be incorrupt. The formal process for his possible canonization was launched in Rome on Oct. 28, 2022. 

This stage involved a thorough investigation, examining all aspects of Agagianian’s life and virtues. Information was gathered from written documents and contemporary witnesses, as well as accounts of miracles attributed to his intercession. The process is now progressing rapidly.

The legacy of Patriarch Agagianian

Agagianian was renowned for his virtue. The Virgin Mary held a special place in his spirituality, and he was devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Eucharist. He was an advocate for justice and served the marginalized, including the elderly, orphans, and people with disabilities. Even after becoming a bishop, he continued to visit the Armenian diaspora worldwide.

Agagianian held several significant positions in the Church. Named a cardinal by Pope Pius XII in 1946, he was head of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (Propaganda Fide), the future Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, from 1958 to 1970 and presided over the papal commission responsible for drafting laws for Eastern Catholic Churches. He was also appointed by Pope Paul VI to serve as one of the four moderators of the last years of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), a landmark event in modern Catholic history. At a time when the pope rarely left Rome, Agagianian served as an envoy of the Holy See, visiting many countries across multiple continents. He was twice considered “papabile,” a serious candidate for the papacy, in 1958 and 1963.

Agagianian’s connection to Lebanon

Agagianian was of Georgian-Armenian descent but acquired Lebanese citizenship after coming to the country as an apostolic visitor in 1935. A year later, at the age of 42, he became patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church.

He developed close relationships with various segments of Lebanese society and worked to bring politicians together. He would often gather them at the Armenian Catholic monastery in Jounieh (Mount Lebanon) for private meetings. Agagianian played a role in reconciling Maronite Patriarch Paul Meouchi with then-Lebanese President Camille Chamoun. He also helped appoint Charles Helou (who later became president of Lebanon) as the first Lebanese ambassador to the Vatican.

Agagianian was known as the “builder patriarch” due to his numerous architectural projects, including a school and an orphanage in Anjar, Lebanon. His remains were laid to rest in the Armenian Catholic Cathedral of St. Elias and St. Gregory the Illuminator, which he built in the heart of Beirut.

This article was first published by ACI Mena, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.

From left to right: Father Pedro Núñez, Father Jorge Obregón, Father Juan Carlos Vásconez, Father Ángel Espinosa de los Monteros, and Father Ignacio Amorós. / Credit: Photos courtesy of the priests

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 15, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In an increasingly digital world, many Catholic priests have found social media to be a powerful medium for evangelizing and connecting with hundreds of thousands of people. In light of Hispanic Heritage Month, here’s a look at five Hispanic priests who are distinguishing themselves in spreading the Gospel on various platforms.

Father Pedro Núñez: ‘Know Your Catholic Faith First’

Father Pedro F. Núñez, a priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, is a prominent Catholic preacher in the Spanish-speaking world. Born in Cuba, he emigrated to the United States in 1962 and was ordained a priest in 1977. 

For more than three decades, he has produced and hosted several television and radio programs on faith, including “Conozca Primero su Fe Católica” (“Know Your Catholic Faith First”) on EWTN; and “A Solas con Jesús” (“Alone with Jesus”) on Catholic World Radio.

Núñez is also a prolific author, with books in Spanish such as “Know Your Catholic Faith First” and “150 Stories That Will Change Your Life.” He is currently the Hispanic Catholic priest with the most followers on Facebook, with more than 1.9 million followers on his official page. He also has hundreds of thousands more followers on other social media sites.

He travels constantly throughout Latin America and the United States, spreading the Gospel and reaching millions of people.

Father Jorge Obregón: ‘New Fire’

A priest of the Legionaries of Christ, Father Jorge Obregón has dedicated his life to the formation of young people in leadership, faith, and values. With a solid academic background, he studied business administration at the Technological Institute in Monterrey, Mexico, and completed his studies in philosophy and theology at the Regina Apostolorum in Rome. In addition, he obtained a master’s degree in biblical theology from John Paul the Great Catholic University in San Diego.

In 2012, Obregón founded the Search retreat, an innovative spiritual formation program aimed at young people. Then, in 2017, he launched the New Fire platform, a Catholic resource designed to connect and form young people throughout Latin America. This platform invites people to know God, be formed in the truth, and find answers to their existential questions. It offers clear, simple, and in-depth resources that facilitate understanding and provide solid formation. With an attractive approach, it promotes a comprehensive lifestyle and responds to St. John Paul II’s call for a new evangelization.

Obregón also participates, along with six other priests of the Legionaries of Christ, in the podcast “¿Qué Haría Jesús?” (“What Would Jesus Do?”), which offers daily reflections on the Gospel.

Currently Obregón resides in Rye, New York, a town outside of New York City, where he continues to carry out his mission.

Father Juan Carlos Vásconez: ‘Talking with Jesus’

Father Juan Carlos Vásconez, originally from Quito, Ecuador, is passionate about digital evangelization and spiritual formation. A systems engineer who holds a doctorate in moral theology, he was ordained a priest in 2015. Currently, he works as a chaplain in two educational institutions and leads several digital projects with the aim of bringing people closer to God through social media.

Inspired by Pope Benedict XVI, Vásconez is one of the priests behind the project “Hablar con Jesús” (“Talking with Jesus”), a well-known channel found on different social media such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Spotify, and Telegram, where users can listen to 10-minute meditations every morning “talking with Jesus face-to-face.”

Father Ángel Espinosa de los Monteros: ‘The Ring Is Forever’

Father Ángel Espinosa de los Monteros, LC, has given more than 4,000 conferences on marriage, family values, and spirituality in various cities in Mexico, the United States, Spain, and South America. He has counseled numerous couples with advice and programs for marital and family growth. He is the author of the Spanish-language book “The Ring Is Forever” and has given more than 20 conferences based on it. Currently, he dedicates all his time to giving conferences and putting on marriage renewal programs in 20 countries.

In recent years, Espinosa has become a viral figure on social media for his simple, empathetic, and joyful way of presenting the Gospel, with millions of views of his videos. He currently has more than 500,000 followers on YouTube, more than 100,000 on TikTok, and more than 200,000 on Instagram.

Father Ignacio Amorós: ‘Rebels Wanted’

Born in Madrid, Spain, Father Ignacio Amorós initially had a career as a financial broker, but his life changed radically when he became involved in charitable missions in Madrid and later in Calcutta. This experience took him to Burundi, Africa, where he decided to become a priest and work on missions in a region plagued by civil strife. After his ordination, he dedicated himself to writing books and organizing humanitarian activities around the world, finally settling in Uruguay.

Currently, Amorós leads the digital evangelization project “Se Buscan Rebeldes” (“Rebels Wanted”), which provides Catholic formation on topics relevant to today’s society in line with the magisterium of the Catholic Church.

In addition, the priest leads the Spanish-language expansion of Bishop Robert Barron’s digital apostolate Word on Fire. This project is aimed at the global Spanish-speaking community in Spain, Latin America, and other regions. With more than 10 years following Barron’s evangelizing work, Amorós seeks to bring the mission of Word on Fire to a wider audience.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

“Conversion is a forgetting of ourselves, it is to stop pretending to be the center of the universe… and saying: ‘Lord, sit down, now the center is going to be you’” Bishop Munilla said during his Sept. 11, 2024, presentation at the International Eucharistic Congress. / Credit: Eduardo Berdejo/EWTN News

Quito, Ecuador, Sep 14, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The presentation by Bishop José Ignacio Munilla at this year’s International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, was considered one of the most impactful so far, containing inspiring reflections that resonated in the hearts of the nearly 5,000 people gathered to hear the prelate.

The bishop of Orihuela-Alicante, Spain, called for spiritual renewal centered on the heart of Jesus and the Eucharist as the only ways to “Christify ourselves” and “transform our heart of stone” into one like that of Jesus.

Below are 15 quotes that left their mark on attendees from more than 50 countries.

1. “If they don’t teach you to love, you confuse loving with possessing, loving with desiring. Learning to love is quite a challenge. We need Jesus Christ, the heart of Jesus, to learn to love.”

2. “I am loved, therefore I am. If I had not been loved by God, I would not exist.”

3. “How many people suffer because they do not have a well-founded self-esteem! … If God loves me and wants me, and this is what the heart of Christ has revealed, I have no right to despise myself or think that this life has no meaning.” 

4. “The heart of Jesus is a school of love. Allow me this expression: It is the human school of divine love and it is the divine school of human love.”

5. “We all have a holy guardian angel. Not just those of us who are baptized. An atheist, even if he doesn’t know it, has a guardian angel; you’ll find out.”

6. “The Church is not an NGO [nongovernmental organization]; it is the family of Christ that continues the message, extending the message of Christ’s salvation to the entire world.

7. “We are weakened by sin. We are not capable of love. We need the heart of Jesus as a school of love.”

8. “Without the grace of Christ, it is impossible to heal the emotional wounds that characterize the present time and that make us suffer so much.”

9. “In God’s plan we are all necessary. There is not a person that is not needed.”

10. “My enemy is Satan, it is not this one who is making my life impossible, or this one who is next to me.”

11. “It is said that abortion is a right, that killing a child in the womb is a right. That is unnatural.”

12. “Conversion is a forgetting of ourselves, it is to stop pretending to be the center of the universe… and saying: ‘Lord, sit down, now the center is going to be you.’”

13. “From the heart of Jesus springs the Eucharist, and from the Eucharist springs that transformation of my heart of stone into a heart like that of Jesus.”

14. “Frequent Communion well carried out and Eucharistic adoration will be the keys to the miracle of interior transformation.”

15. “Let us be in love with the Eucharist, because the Eucharist will be responsible for Christifying us. We Eucharistize ourselves to Christify ourselves.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Father Vitalis Anaehobi, who serves in the southesast region of Nigeria, says that most of the young people he has spoken to are grieved by “difficulties in life” such as poverty, unemployment, and “the failure by the Church to protect them” as attacks against Christians continue in the country where religious-based persecution is one of the highest in the world. Many young people in the villages are now turning to paganism. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Vitalis Anaehobi/ACI Africa

ACI Africa, Sep 14, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

While many Catholic leaders in Nigeria are concerned about the influence of Pentecostalism, Catholics in the southeastern parts of the country are concerned about another trend.

In rural parts of the West African country, the number of young people participating in Sunday Mass has plummeted and continues to fall as many of them turn to paganism.

Father Vitalis Anaehobi serves in the region and said that most of the young people he has spoken to are grieved by “difficulties in life” such as poverty, unemployment, and “the failure by the Church to protect them” as attacks against Christians continue in the country where religious-based persecution is one of the highest in the world.

In an interview with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, regarding concerns about the growth of private ministries linking themselves to the Catholic Church in Nigeria, Anaehobi said: “We are not upset by the influence of these ministries. The greatest fear we have, especially in southeast Nigeria where I am based, is the fact that young people are going back to traditional religion.”

He said that the youth in rural villages in Nigeria are not going to Pentecostal churches but to religions that their forefathers abandoned when they embraced Christianity.

“Our youths are going back to paganism,” Anaehobi told ACI Africa. “This emerging trend is nowhere on social media but for us here, this is our greatest worry. Very young boys and girls are going back to these practices.”

Anaehobi, who is the secretary-general of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA), said that at the heart of the worrying trend is the increasing insecurity in the region.

“There is the false belief that in the face of the current insecurity in the region, Christianity cannot protect anyone. [The youth] believe that with traditional religion, they can obtain some way to protect themselves,” he said.

“According to our young people, Christianity is not as practical as traditional religion. When you go to the churches in our villages, you will not find young people there. They are out there practicing traditional religion.”

The priest said that because of poverty and lack of employment, young people there, especially in the rural parts of the country, are avoiding the Church where they are told “to go ahead and give the little they have to get blessings.”

They say that with traditional religion, no one is allowed to give much, Anaehobi shared with ACI Africa, adding that young people embracing African religious practices instead “meet, slaughter animals, perform rituals, dance, and go home with full stomachs.”

At the moment, this trend can only be observed in rural villages.

“We are not worried about the cities because there, the Church is full of young people,” Anaehobi said. “What we worry about the most is our villages.”

To encourage young rural people to stay in the Church, the priest has suggested that the Church in Nigeria rethink its role and look for practical ways to empower youths in the country.

“As we teach and give hope, we must go out and meet these young people where they are. They are out there looking for solutions to their poverty and unemployment,” he said. “The Church may not have the means to get our young people employed, but we can organize mentorship programs for them and facilitate their link to potential recruiters.”

In an interview with ACI Africa on Sept. 4, Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of Nigeria’s Diocese of Oyo said he had observed the increasing presence of paganism in the country.

“At the moment, we are talking about the revival of superstition and old traditional religions and beliefs in Nigeria,” the bishop said.

Badejo’s comments were echoed by Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of the Archdiocese of Abuja in Nigeria, who raised an alarm about the emergence of a group in the country calling itself “Old Catholics.” 

“We have a new group coming in, calling themselves ‘Old Catholics,’ and they are setting up churches all over the place and causing confusion among the people,” the archbishop said, adding that some members are dressed as Catholic priests and hold liturgies similar to the Mass.

“Very many people are following this group,” he lamented. “We are very careful as bishops to watch out and to enlighten our people to be very careful not to fall into their traps. This isn’t healthy for us at all.”

This article was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.